How to Build a Bookcase With Pocket Hole Screws

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Pocket holes allow wood panels to be joined together using screws. They can be joined end to end or at 90 degrees. Pocket holes can be drilled using a machine or by hand using a small jig. Most people use the jig to drill angular holes that penetrate out through the edge of a panel to enter another panel, securing the two together. If you're thinking about installing a bookcase in your home for added value or looks, try building it with pocket holes and screws.

1

Place all five of the shorter panels flat on a worktable with the ends extending out over the side of the table by 6 inches.

2

Slide the pocket hole jig over the end of one of the panels. You will see that there is a a large wing nut or clamp sticking up from the end of the jig. Slide that end of the jig forward until it comes into contact with the edge of the panel. Tighten the clamp to secure the jig to the end of the panel.

3

Place a 3/16-inch drill bit in a cordless drill. On the end opposite the clamp, there is an angular sleeve pointing toward your body. Using the drill, insert the bit into the sleeve. Turn on the drill and push forward, toward your body. The drill will penetrate down at a shallow angle and out through the front edge of the panel.

4

Drill four pocket holes evenly spaced on the ends of all the panels. Two of the panels are the sides, three are the shelves. They are all the same size.

5

Stand the two long panels and two short panels on their edges to form a frame of 36 by 72-inches. The short panels with the pocket holes should be on the inside of the long panels.

6

Separate the panels slightly and run a bead of glue down the ends of the shorter panels. Put the frame back together. Flush all the ends. Place one 48-inch clamp across the top and bottom and tighten.

7

Insert screws into all the holes. Use the cordless gun to sink all of the screws in tight, securing the panels together. Leave the clamp on for one hour to let the glue dry.

8

Remove the clamps. Run a bead of on the edge of the frame around the perimeter. Place the 1/4-inch plywood on the frame. Square it on all sides. Using the pin nailer, shoot pin nails down through the plywood spaced 4 inches apart to secure it to the frame.

9

Turn the bookcase over face-up. Measure four equal spaces inside the bookcase for the shelves. Mark the locations on both sides on the edge of the frame. Drop the shelves in one at a time. Use a tri-square to get them straight. Place screws in the pocket holes on the shelves and drive the screws in using the cordless gun.

10

Transfer the measurements of the bookcase shelves to the sides of the bookcase using the tri-square. Flip the bookcase over and transfer the measurement to the bottom. Place a straightedge across the back of the bookcase on the corresponding lines to indicate where the back of the shelves come into contact with the plywood. Draw a line across the back of the bookcase using the straightedge. Shoot pin nails through the plywood on the line spaced 4 inches apart to secure the shelves to the plywood.

11

Turn the bookcase face-up. Run a bead of glue along the back of each oak strip and place the strips on the front edge of the bookcase in their respective places. Shoot pin nails through the strips spaced 6 inches apart.

12

Putty all the nail holes using wood putty and a putty knife. Sand the bookcase smooth and round all the edges using 100-grit sandpaper and a hand block. The bookcase is now ready for stain and lacquer.

Things You Will Need

5 oak plywood panels, 3/4 by 12 by 34 1/2 inches

Pocket hole jig

3/16-inch drill bit

Cordless drill

2 oak plywood panels, 3/4 by 12 by 72 inches

Glue

1 1/2-inch pocket hole screws (or ordinary wood screws)

2, 48-inch clamps

Pin nailer

1 1/4-inch pin nails

Oak plywood, 1/4 by 36 by 72 inches

Tri-square

48-inch straightedge

2 oak strips, 1/4 by 3/4 by 72 inches

5 oak strips, 1/4 by 3/4 by 34 1/2 inches

Wood putty

Putty knife

100-grit sandpaper

Hand block

Stain

Lacquer

Tips

For a more stylish look, attach bullnose molding to the front of the bookcase instead of oak strips.

The measurements here are for examples. You can build a bookcase any size you want. If your intended bookcase is longer than 8 feet, build it in two sections to make it more mobile and easier to build.

Warning

Always wear safety glasses when working with wood.

About the Author

Specializing in hardwood furniture, trim carpentry, cabinets, home improvement and architectural millwork, Wade Shaddy has worked in homebuilding since 1972. Shaddy has also worked as a newspaper reporter and writer, and as a contributing writer for Bicycling Magazine. Shaddy began publishing in various magazines in 1992, and published a novel, “Dark Canyon,” in 2008.